Method of and apparatus for displaying indicia



Marsh 17, 1936. 2,034,386

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING INDICIA F. G. BRECKENRIDGE FiledJune l, 1955 Patented Mar. 17, 1936 UNITED STATES PTET OFFICE METHOD OFAND APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING INDICIA Paul G. Breckenridge,

Los Angeles, Calif., as-

of Delaware Application June 1, 1935, Serial No. 24,537

8 Claims.

My invention relates to display devices and a method of displayingindicia.

It is an object of my invention to provide a method and apparatus fordisplaying indicia so that there is created an illusion of motion of theindicia.

In the display of characters for advertising or Warning purposes, theattention of the observer Will be easily attracted by the eiect ofmotion of the characters in a direction having a cornponent parallel tothe line of vision of the observer or normal to the plane of the displaydevice.

It is accordingly an object of my invention to provide a method of andapparatus for displaying indicia which produces the effect of motion ofthe indicia in a direction having a component parallel to the line ofvision of the observer or substantially normal to the plane of theindicia. 'Ihis object contemplates the production of an effect of motionof the indicia, having such a component Whether the motion appears to betowards or away from the observer.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a method of andapparatus for displaying indicia which produces this eect of motion bythe employment of gaseous discharge tubes, such as neon lamps, both forilluminating display surfaces in a manner to produce the effect ofmotion of the indicia thereon represented and for themselves producingthe effect of motion of the indicia represented by the gaseous dischargetubes.

It is still another object of my invention to provide a method of andapparatus for displaying indicia which will be entirely automatic in itsoperation so that no attendant is required.

These and other objects and advantages of the method and apparatus of myinvention Will be made apparent in the following description which maybe better understood with reference to the accompanying drawing:

In the drawing,

Fig. l is a front elevational view of the display device of my inventionwhich is capable of performing the method of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic vievv of the electrical circuits of theapparatus of my invention; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view taken as illustrated by the line 3-3 ofFig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, which is for illustrative purposes only, thenumeral I I indicates an opaque Wall means or background in the form ofa billboard presenting a plane surface. While the Wall means Il isillustrated as a plane surface, it Will be apparent from the followingdescription that this Wall means may have projections or depressionsformed therein or may be curved in a suitable manner to increase thedesired illusion for particular indicia. Repre- 5 sentations I2 ofindicia or characters are placed upon the Wall means II in any suitablemanner as by painting. In Fig. 1 the characters are illustrated ascomprising four letters, I3 to I6, forming the Word Stop. Therepresentations I2 l0 of the characters I3 to I t each include portionsindicating depth or perspective of the letters, these portions Il beingapparently directed towards a common apparent vanishing point I8. Therepresentations I2 of the letters I3 to I 6 also include portions I9having the appearance of at representations of the letters. The portionsIl of the representations I2 have pigments applied to them to imitatelight and shade and distance, so that the effect of those parts of theportions Il nearer the vanishing point I8 being more distant from theobserver than the portions I 'I at a greater distance from the vanishingpoint I 8 is enhanced.

Secured to the Wall means II is a plurality of secondary representationsin the form of luminous tube lamp means 2Q illustrated as glowdischargeor gas discharge lamps, such as neon lamp tubes. A plurality of theluminous lamp means is provided for each of the characters I3 to I6,inclusive, all of the lamp means of each group having the same outlineas one of the indicia of the representations I2 and varying from eachother only in size. Thus, for the character I3, the letter S, there areprovided lamp characters in the form of neon tube lamps to the number of5, indicated by the numerals 2| to 25, inclusive. Each of the lampcharacters 2| to 25 is formed with substantially the same outline as theportion I9 of the character I3. The largest lamp character 2| issupported upon the Wall means II immediately in front of the portion I9of the character I3. The next smaller lamp character 22 is supportedupon the Wall means II immediately in front of that vpart of the portionof the character I3 adjacent the portion I9. In a similar manner thelamp characters 23, 24 and 25 are supported upon the Wall means in frontof the portion Il of the character I3 in the order of their diminishingsize towards the vanishing point I8. Whenever an overlap occurs in thelamp characters 2| to 25, the larger of the lamp characters issuperimposed over the smaller.

In a similar manner lamp characters 26 to 30,

inclusive, are supported upon the wall means II in front of therepresentation I2 of the character I4, these lamp connections beingformed with the outline of the letter T. Lamp characters 3| to 35,inclusive, in the form of the letter O are supported in a similar mannerimmediately in front of the character I5, and, similarly, lampcharacters 36 to 40, inclusive, in the form of the letter P are securedimmediately in front of the character I6 on the wall means I I.

While the lamp characters 2| to 140, inclusive, may be supported uponthe wall means in Vany suitable manner, I have illustrated them as eachincluding a rearwardly extending portion 4| extending through an opening42 in the wall means II. Resiliently gripping the rearwardly extendingportion 4I of each of the lamp characters is a bushing member 43 ofrubber or the like which acts to support the lamp character. Each of therearwardly extending portions 4I of the lamp characters is provided withan electrode 44 sealed in its end and connected to a conductor 45 eX-Ytending beyond the lamp member in a conventional manner. l

Y Referring particularly `to Fig. 2, the numeral V46 indicates atransformer, one end of the secondary winding 41 of which is connectedby a conductor 48 to the electrode 44 of the lamp character 36. Theother end of the secondary winding 41 is connected by a conductor 49 toone of the electrodes 44 of the lamp character 2|. The other electrodeof the lamp character 2| is electrically connected to one of theelectrodes of the lamp character 26 by a 'conductor 50, the otherelectrode of the lamp character 26 being connected through a conductor5I with one electrode of the lamp character 3|. The circuit is completedby a conductor 52 connecting the other electrode of the lamp character3| with an electrode of the lamp character 36.

A second transformer 53 has its secondary winding 54 connected to thelamp characters'22 kand 31 by conductors 55 and 56, respectively. Thelamp characters 22 and 21 are connected by a conductor 51, the lampcharacters 21 and 32 are'connected by conductor 58, and the circuit iscompleted by conductor 59 connecting the lamp characters 32 and 31 in amanner similar to that previously described. y Y

A third transformer 69 has' its secondary winding 6I connected byconductors 62 and' 63 to the lamp characters 23 and 38, respectively.Conductors v64, and 66 are provided for connecting the lamp characters23 and 28, 28 and 33, and 33Vand 38 respectively.

A fourth transformer 61 has a secondary winding 68 connected byconductors 69 and 10 to lamp characters 24 and 39, respectively, andconductors 1I 12 and 13 connect the lamp characters 24and 29, 29 and 34,and 34 and 39 in the manner previously described. A fth Vtransformer 14has its secondary winding 15 electrically connected by conductors 'I6and 11 to lamp characters 25 and 40, respectively, conductors 18,V 19and being provided for completing the'circuit from the lamp character 25through the lamp characters 30 and 35 tothe lamp character 40.

The transformer 46 has a primary winding 8|, one terminal of which isconnected by conductor 82 to a brush element 83, and the other terminalof which is connected by a conductor 84 to one terminal of a source ofpotential 85. The other terminal of the source of potential is connectedtoa conductor segment 86 of a switching disc 81.

A primary winding 88 of the transformer 53 has one terminal connected bya conductor 89 to the source of potential and its other terminalconnected through a conductor 90 to a brush element 9| associated with aswitching disc 92 having a conductor segment 93 therein. A primarywinding 94, of the third transformer 60 has one of its terminalsconnected by a conductor 95 to the source of potential 85 and its otherterminal connected by a conductor 96 to brush element 91 associated witha switching disc 98 having a'conductor segment 99 therein.

In asimilar manner a primary winding |00 of the fourth transformer 61 isconnected by conductor I0| to the source of potential 85 and by aconductor |02 to a brush element |03 cooperating with a switching disc|04 which includes a conductor segment |05. In the fifth transfo-rmer1'4 a primary Winding |06 is connected by conductor |01 to the source ofpotential 85 and by conductor |08 to a brush element |09 associated witha switching disc IIO having a conductor segment III therein'.

The switching discs ||0, |04, 92, 98, and 81'are mounted upon a shaft||2 which is electrically connected to the conductor Segment 85 and thusto the source of potential 85. Each of the conductor segments 93, 99,|05 and I I I is electrically connected to the shaft II2 so thatwhenever o-ne 'of the brush members contacts its corresponding conductorsegment a circuit is closed from the source of potential through thatbrush member.

The shaft ||2 with its switching discs is rotated in any suitablemanner, as by an electrical 'motor unit, not shown, so that its speed ofrotation is approximately constant. 'I'he switching discV I I0 willlikewise be rotated in the direction of the arrow |I3 until theconductor segment I I contactsthe brush element I 09. This contactcloses the circuit from the source of potential 85 through the shaft `II2, conductor segment I I I, brush member |09, conductor |08, andprimary winding |06 of the fifth transformer 14. The secondary winding15 is thus energized and the character elements 25, 30, 35 and 40 areVenergized and thus caused to luminesce or glow. Thus the smallest lampcharacters upon the wall means II are rendered visible and illuminatethose parts: of the portions I1 of the characters I3 to I6, inclusive,which are closest to the vanishing point I8. This luminescence of thelamp characters 25, 30, 35 and 49 and illumination ofY a part of thecharacters I3 to I6, inclusive, occurs only during that portion of arevolution of the shaft I I2 during which the brush element |09 is incontact with the conductor segment I I I. The speed of rotation of theshaft I I2 is such that this period of time is made extremely short sothat the lampi characters 25, 30, 35 and 40 are flashed and thendeenergized by the rotation-of the conductor segment I I I beyond thebrush element |09. Substantially simultaneously with the opening of thiscircuit the conductor segment |05 rotates in contact with the brushelement |03, closing the circuit from the source of po-tential 85through the shaft II2, conductor segment |05, brush member |03,conductor |02 and primary winding I 00. The secondary winding 68 of thefourth transformer G1 is thus energized, causing the lamp characters 24,29, 34 and 39 to luminesce or glow. Thus Vthe second smallest set oflamp characters are illuminated and serve to illuminate those parts ofthe portions I1 of the characters I3 to I6, inclusive, which appear tobe at a slightly greater distance from the vanishing point I8 than theparts previously illuminated. These character elements are ashed on forbut an instant and then extinguished by the ,movementl of the conductorsegment |05 out of contact with the brush element |03.

Substantially simultaneously with the. deenergization of the characterelements 24, 29, 34 and 39, the next larger character elements 23, 28,33 and 38 are energized for a short period of time, thus illuminatingparts of the portions I1 of the characters I3 to IIS at a slightlygreater distance from the vanishing point IB. In a similar manner thelamp characters 22, 21, 32 and 31 are energized and the lamp characters2|, 26, 3| and 36 are energized. If desired, the conductor segments II Iand 86 may be so formed, or the shaft |I2 may be rotated at such aVarying rate, that the lamp characters 25, 3U, 35 and 4|), and the lampcharacters 2|, 26, 3| and 36, respectively, may be energized for alonger period of time than the other sets of lamp characters.

The Various groups of lamp characters are successively energized forsuch short periods of time and the period of time between theextinguishment of one set of lamp characters and the energization of thesucceeding set is made so short that, due to the persistence of vision,the effect is produced of a rapid motion of the characters from the sizerepresented by the lamp characters 25, 30, and 40 and those portions ofthe characters I3 to I6 .adjacent thereto to the size of the lampcharacters 2|, 2B, 3| and 36 and the portions I9 of the characters I3 toI6, inclusive, which motion is substantially normal to the wall surfaceII and has a component parallel to the line of vision of any observer.By describing the lamp characters as successively energized, I mean thatone lamp character is de-energized at the same time that the next lampcharacter is energized, yor such a short interval of timebefore or afterthe next lamp character is energized that there is no period of timeapparent to an observer when the two lamp characters are both energizedor de-energized, and similarly, in the description of the parts of theportions I1 as being successively illuminated. A very startling effectis thus produced, tending to attract the attention of the passersby andmaintain their interest for a sufficient length of time for theintelligence represented upon the device to be conveyed to them.

The effect of motion of the indicia above described is further enhancedby designing the transformers 45, 53, 60, 61 and 14 so that thepotential from the secondaries of the transformers are of differentamounts. In the apparatus illustrated in the drawing the potential fromthe secondary 1,5 of the transformer 14 is less than the potential fromthe secondary 68 of the transformer 61, which in turn is less than thepotential from the secondary 6I of the transformer 65. Likewise, thepotential from this secondary 6I is less than the potential from thesecondary 54 of the transformer 53, and the potential from the secondary41 of the transformer 45 is greater than the potential from any of thesecondary windings of any of the other transformers. This variation inthe potential produces a variation in the intensity of the lightproduced by the various lamp characters, the smaller lamp charactersbeing illuminated to a lesser degree than the larger lamp characters.This variation in the degree of illumination causes those parts of theportions I 1 of the representations I2 nearer to the vanishing point I8to be illuminated to a lesser degree than the parts of the portions I1at a 'greater distance from the vanishing point I8.

This variation in potential also causes the lamp characters nearer thevanishing point I8 to luminesce or glow with a lesser degree ofbrilliance than the lamp characters further from the vanishing point I3.Both of these effects enhanoe the illusion of motion of the indicia, asdescribed hereinbefore.

While I have described the operation of the apparatus hereinbefore setforth as producing the eect of motion of the characters towards theobserver, it will be obvious that by reversing the direction of rotationof the shaft II2, the effect can be produced of motion in the oppositedirection.

The apparatus has been described as including a vanishing point locatedsubstantially in the center of the display device. If this vanishingpoint is positioned in any other location, a somewhat different eifectof motion is produced, such as motion appearing to be not substantiallynormal to the plane of the wall means I l but having a componentparallel to the line of vision o-f the observer. Thus, if only the twocharacters I5 and I6 with their associated lamp characters areconsidered and the vanishing point I 8 remains where it is illustrated,the effect which is described will be produced. It will also be apparentthat by providing a plurality of each of the characters i3 to I6,inclusive, and having each of the representations of the same characterwith a different vanishing point with lamp characters tting therepresentations I2, as hereinbefore described, an effect will beproduced of motion having a component in the direction of the line ofvision of the observer and motion in the plane of the wall means I.Thus, if a plurality of the representations of the letter S Wereprovided upon the wall means I I of various sizes and each with adifferent vanishing point, and if each were illuminated with a lampcharacter tted to the representation as set forth hereinbefore, it ispossible to produce the effect of motion of the character S towards theobserver and motion in the plane of the wall means I I in either astraight or curved path, dependent upon the line connecting suchVanishing points.

The foregoing apparatus is oneembodiment of the means of practicing theprocess of my invention which includes the steps of successivelyilluminating for short periods of time portions of a character orindicia represented in perspective, these portions being illuminated inthe order of their apparent distance from a vanishing point.

The process of my invention also includes the step of successivelyenergizing characters repres-enting indicia in different sizes in theorder of their size, whereby, due to the persistence of Vision, theeifect of motion is produced, which motion has a component parallel tothe line of vision of the observer. The process of my invention includesthe successive illumination of different portions of a representation inperspective of a character in the order of the apparent distance of suchportions from a Vanishing point Whereby the effect of motion isproduced, and accomplishing this illumination by the successiveenergization of lamp means, such as gaseous discharge tubes, provided inthe form of the same character in different sizes, which lamp means aresuccessively energized so that the characters formed of such lamp meansare successively energized in the order of their size, whereby theeffect of motion of the-character is produced. The process of myinvention also includes the illumination to different degrees ofdifferent portions of a representation in perspective of a character thedegree of illumination being greater for those portions appearing to beat a greater distance from a vanishing point than for those portionsappearlng to be at a lesser distance from the vanishing point. Likewise,the process of my invention includes the successive energization of lampmeans in the form of the same character in different sizes, thisenergization being accomplished with different potentials so that thelamp means of different size are energized to different degrees andconsequently produce varying quantities of light, the lamp means in theform of the characters of the smaller size being energlzed to a lesserdegree than the lamp means in the form of characters of a larger size.

There are Various other forms of the apparatus of my invention which arecapable of performing the objects and providing the advantages primarilystated and capable of performing the process of my invention, and Itherefore wish the apparatus of my invention to be understood as notrestricted to the specific embodiment hereinbefore set forth.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device for conveying intelligence, the combination of: a primaryrepresentation including a shaded perspective area at a side thereofdeiined by lines which converge toward a vanishing point so as topresent an appearance of depth; a plurality of secondary representationsof the same outline as said primary representation spaced upon saidprimary representation, said secondary representations being ofdifferent sizes, said primary representation and said secondaryrepresentations having a common apparent vanishing point; and means forilluminating said secondary representations progressively.

2. In a display device, the combination of: wall means; a representationof indicia on said wall means, said representation being so formed as topresent the appearance of depth towards a vanishing point; a pluralityof luminous discharge lamp means on said wall means, said lamp meansbeing in the form of said indicia of different sizes, said indicia ofdifferent sizes being arranged in order of decreasing size towards saidvanishing point; and means for successively energizing to diiferentintensities said lamp| means for short intervals of time, the lamp meansforming the indicia of any one size being energized to a greaterintensity than the lamp means forming the indicia of any smaller size,whereby the illusion of motion of said indicia is produced.

3. The method of creating the illusionof motion of a three dimensionalobject by the use of a perspective representation in two dimensions ofthe object, which method includes the steps of: illuminating one portionof said representation; discontinuing the illumination of that portion;and illuminating to a diiferent intensity an adjacent portion of saidrepresentation without a perceptible period of time between thediscontinuance of the illumination of said one portion and theillumination of said adjacent portion, whereby, due to the persistenceof Vision, the effect of motion of the object is produced.

4. The method of producing the effect of motion of a character by theuse of luminous lamp means in the form of Various sizes of saidcharacter grouped in the order of diminishing size towards an apparentvanishing point, which method includes the steps of: energizing one ofsaid lamp means; and de-energizing said one p of said lamp means andenergizing to a different intensity that one of said lamp means formingthe character of the next size, whereby, due to the persistence ofvision, the effect of apparent motion of the character will be produced.

5. The method of producing the effect of motion of a character by theuse of a representation in perspective of said character and luminouslamp means forming various sizes of said character arranged in the orderof their size adjacent said representation, which method includes thesteps of: illuminating progressively portions of said representation bysuccessively flashing said luminous lamp means and varying thebrilliance of such ilashing for the different sizes so that thoseportions of the representation appearing nearer are illuminated to agreater degree than those portions appearing to be more distant.

6. In a device for conveying intelligence, the combination of: a primaryrepresentation having a front portion and a perspective side portion atone side of said front portion converging toward a vanishing point; aplurality of secondary representations of the same outline as saidprimary representation and varying in size, said secondaryrepresentations being disposed on said primary representation in suchposition as to converge toward said vanishing point; and means forilluminating said secondary representations progressively.

!7. In a device for conveying intelligence, the combination of: aprimary representation having a front portion and a perspective sideportion at one side of said front portion converging toward a vanishingpoint; a plurality of secondary representations of the same outline assaid primary representation and varying in size, said secondaryrepresentations being disposed on` said primary representationrin suchposition as to converge toward said vanishing point; and means forilluminating said secondary representations progressively and so thatthe larger of said secondary representations will be illuminated togreater intensity than the smaller of the same.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of two indiciaplaced in side-by-side relation, each of said indicia comprising aplurality of glow tubes each of the same form but clecreasing in sizeand being arranged in the order of diminishing size to converge to an`apparent vanishing point situated between said indicia; and means forsuccessively and intermittently illuminating said glow tubes of each ofsaid indica.

